The Route

Eventually the weather will get a bit nasty and I’ll switch from obsessing over cycling to something like heavy confections, wine and wool, but until then my evenings are on the bike.

I realized that I’ve been posting all of these entries about Prospect Park (where my nightly rides take place) but have not posted any visual indication of what the ride is like. Here, then, is The Route with numbered points of interest:

Since I live a block off the southeast side of the park, #1 serves as my entrance and the beginning of every ride. This is the low point of the park and contains only rolling lumps to begin. Flow of traffic around the park is counter-clockwise. Autos are only allowed in the park from rush hour am to rush hour pm. Beginning at 7pm the park is closed to all motor traffic and us cyclists get two vehicle-sized lanes of traffic (in addition to the cycling lane on the left)

After a few minutes of spin you’re hit with the hill, a steep grade that takes you up to the Grand Army Plaza. The first section will give you a little burn in your legs

The incline of the hill eases for about 20 meters then ramps back up to it’s steepest grade. Most riders who have been holding their pace will begin to slow at this point due to the steepness or because of their legs beginning to tire.

Section 4 would be characterized by rolling hills with a very very gradual climb up to section 5. For whatever reason you almost never see anyone making any moves in this stretch. Probably because they are still recovering from the hill.

After climbing from 2-5 now begins the release, the big downhill stretch which will take you most of the way to 7. Though I like to coast now and then, when things get competitive you’ll see trains being led by someone pushing hard at the front. Generally speeds are about 30mph but they can easily near 40 on good days.

I only mark this point as it seems to be the point where the largest numbers of stupid pedestrians gather and get hit by bikes. This is a good section to be “heads up”

Here at the bottom of the hill one of two things will happen: (1) The group will hit “cruise control” and have a smooth flight allllllll the way to the hill or (2) someone will decide it’s time to do a 30mph sprint clear across the bottom of the park, blowing the group up into little pieces. If strong, it will re-form shortly before the hill.

Overall the park is about 5km around and laps take around 10 minutes to complete at a good clip.

About Aaron Deutsch

Aaron has always felt a passion for, if not a gravitational pull from, racing. Since being lured from the basketball court onto the track in 1993 he set 7 track & field records and medaled six times at the state level of competition.

He moved to the mountain bike in the late 1990s and won the Penn Cycle Buck Hill race series in 2000 in the sport class. He also placed 4th in the Subaru Cup XC race that year.

After moving to New York Aaron took up road racing and rode unattached for the first year and medaled in 2 races including a 1st place finish in the Kissena Race Series in 2007. In 2008 the Brooklyn Arches Cycling Club was formed and the results were immediate and consistent including winning the Cadence Cup Race Series in Brooklyn. He currently races with the Major Taylor Iron Riders Development Team